WHEATLAND, Mo. — Justin Wells’ latest Hermitage Lumber Late Model feature victory at Lucas Oil Speedway was by no means ordinary.
Larry Ferris led all 25 laps and crossed the finish line first. But Ferris didn’t make it to victory lane after his car failed to make minimum weight post race.
That elevated race runner-up Wells to his fourth Hermitage Lumber Late Model feature win of the season.
Wells earned the $1,000 first prize with his 98th victory in his No. 98 2006 TNT chassis that he calls “Old Faithful.”
It was an unusual and eventful victory, to say the least, for Wells. He recovered from an early race spin, the result of a lap-four skirmish with Ferris as they battled for the lead. It left Wells restarting in 12th place.
“I didn’t think I’d get a chance to get back that close,” Wells said. “I was happy with second, I guess, but I just hate a tore-up race car. I’m just happy for these guys who work hard on the race car. And this crowd is awesome tonight.”
Wells used the term “karma” afterward and said it was the second straight outing that he took issue with Ferris.
“He’s took us out two weeks in a row. There’s no sense in it,” Wells said. “Stuff happens. This is what he deserves.”
Ferris started second and Wells fourth and they were running 1-2 by the end of the first lap. Wells was challenging Ferris for the lead on the inside coming to the end of lap four when Wells spun into the infield to bring out a caution.
Ferris opened a 1.7-second lead over Dustin Walker as action resumed with third-place JC Morton about 2.5 seconds behind Walker. But Ferris’ lead was wiped out with a caution for a couple of spinning cars on lap 13.
The yellow flag also was timely for Wells, who had rallied to sixth but was still a half-lap behind Ferris. Wells moved into fourth by lap 15, but Ferris had clear sailing out front and was two seconds ahead of the field when another caution flew on lap 17.
Wells moved into third after the restart as Morton pulled onto to the rear end of Ferris’ car. Ferris held onto the lead, but Wells drove past Morton and into second on lap 20, 1.1 seconds behind the leader.
Ferris was able to hold on from there by a 1.4-second as the checkers flew – but after multiple tries he did not make required weight at the scales.
Morton finished second with Bryon Allison third, Walker fourth and Joe Walkenhorst fifth.
Other winners on Saturday night in Vietti Marketing Group Night at the Races for the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series were Andy Bryant (Ozark Golf Cars USRA B Mods), Tad Davis (Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds) and James McMillin (O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars).